Previewing the Washington Huskies heading into 2025
2024 in review
Washington sustained its first major set back with a loss to Washington State in the Apple Cup, finishing the nonconference slate 2-1. The Huskies earned impressive wins over Michigan and USC, but also picked up an unexpected loss to Rutgers and lost by multiple scores to Oregon, Penn State and Indiana. The season was capped off with a loss to Louisville in the Tony the Tiger Sun Bowl. Poor offensive line play dragged down a unit with skill position talent, while the defense faced it's share of struggles.
Head coach profile
Fisch struggled in his first year with the Huskies but previously led a major turnaround at Arizona, guiding the Wildcats from 1-11 in his first season to 10-3 two years later. He finished with a 16-21 record in three seasons in Tucson. Prior to head coaching roles, Fisch has lots of experience as an offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach.
Top offensive players
Quarterback Demond Williams Jr. impressed after taking over the starting role from Will Rogers, and he's earning some offseason hype heading into the season. Williams has explosive play ability and is dangerous with his legs, but if the offensive line play doesn't improve significantly, he may struggle. Joining him in the backfield is running back Jonah Coleman, who rushed for over 1,000 yards last season after following Fisch from Arizona and should continue that success in 2025. At wide receiver, Denzel Boston returns after racking up 63 receptions for 834 yards and nine touchdowns last season. This trio could produce some major offensive firepower if given time to operate.
Top defensive player
Though he didn't initially follow Fisch to Washington, cornerback Tacario Davis transferred in from Arizona this offseason and has the potential to be the star of the defense. Davis recorded 43 tackles and six passes defended en route to second-team All-Big 12 honors last seaosn. Additionally, he was a semifinalist for the Jim Thorpe Award, presented annually to the top defensive back nationally.
2025 schedule
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
17 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Wizards lose Marcus Smart signing with Lakers after buying out mentor for Texas Longhorns' Tre Johnson, Bub Carrington
The Washington Wizards didn't get anything for Marcus Smart, settling for a buyout on Saturday that led to the long-time former Boston Celtic signing with the Los Angeles Lakers in a free agency shocker. Yahoo Sports' Morten Stig Jensen deemed the series of transactions a loss for the Wizards, since they ceded a potential mentor to former Texas Longhorns star Tre Johnson and second-year stud Bub Carrington. 'The Wizards have a small army of young players, and Smart would have been a strong mentor to have around for this season, especially to give defensive pointers to Bub Carrington and rookie Tre Johnson,' Jensen wrote. 'It makes sense that Smart wanted to be in a more competitive situation given his age, but the Wizards lost a player who could have made a stark difference behind the scenes. 'Granted, not having Smart on the roster does mean more minutes for the young players in the organization, which will prove crucial in their continued development. But the veteran's intensity, work ethic and understanding of how to play angles are now qualities the team will have to go without.' Washington is stuck in neutral, with no superstar building blocks and multiple draft picks falling to the wayside over the past five years. Smart wouldn't have moved the needle as much as they would've hoped. He might've even made untimely winning plays that would've spoiled their tank efforts. Meanwhile, the Lakers gamble on a player who is three years removed from being a conference-championship-winning starting point guard. Los Angeles shouldn't expect anything close to that Smart, but a little hustle would go a long way alongside Luka Doncic, who reportedly personally recruited the 31-year-old to the purple and gold.
Indianapolis Star
19 minutes ago
- Indianapolis Star
'You guys made it special.' Fever players not surprised Indy showed WNBA fans so much love during All-Star Weekend
INDIANAPOLIS – The Boston family group chat has been buzzing the past few days. Cleone and Algernon Boston — parents of Indiana Fever forward and WNBA All-Star Aliyah Boston — were in town for this weekend's WNBA All-Star Game. And every time Cleone saw a massive photo, advertisement or any sort of promotional material involving her daughter, she made sure to send it to the family group chat. "They loved it," Aliyah smiled. "(And) it was great having them in town for a little bit." The past week has showcased what Fever players and Indiana natives have long known: This state loves its basketball and when it comes to hosting massive sporting events, very few can do it better. The scene Saturday night was incredible with Gainbridge Fieldhouse packed to the rafters and the sold-out crowd of 16,988 fully engaged, maintaining its energy from start to finish of Team Caitlin Clark's 119-95 loss to Team Napheesa Collier. "That was special. That was really, really special," said Fever guard Kelsey Mitchell, who led Team Clark with 20 points. "You guys made it special. I think everybody played a big part in making this weekend what it was supposed to be. Shout out to the city of Indianapolis for putting on a great show for everybody and hopefully the players from the W, from the other teams, enjoyed themselves." "Honestly, I'm not surprised," Boston added. "Anything that has to do with basketball and sports in general, Indy shows out and they get loud. They filled that arena tonight and let those athletes know they really support them." To Boston's point, it wasn't just the Fever players who felt the love. New York Liberty star Sabrina Ionescu drew raucous ovations every time she was shown during Friday's skills competition, and there were roars from the crowd with the introduction of each all-star on Saturday — including Chicago Sky forward Angel Reese, who got some of the loudest cheers of the night. "The weekend has been absolutely incredible," team captain and Fever guard Caitlin Clark said. "I hope every player in this league, whether you're participating in the game tonight or were in the 3-point competition and skills competition or were just here to enjoy All-Star weekend, I hope they felt the same and felt the love from the city." The support shown this weekend in Indianapolis has become the standard for Fever fans and increasingly across the league. Asked if she's used to the new standard the league has established in terms of support and attendance, Mitchell replied simply: No. "And here's why, I see a new celebrity that day I watched on TV growing up at the game every day now. So I'm just like, what is happening?" she continued. "People want to see what women's basketball looks like at the highest level and we as the players want to provide a good product. And the idea is that you want people to keep packing this place in — but I'll never get used to it. Ever."
USA Today
an hour ago
- USA Today
Fans, brands, players and parties: Here's what you missed at WNBA All-Star in Indy
INDIANAPOLIS — Tippy-toed kids with arms stretched over stanchions and weighed down by basketballs waited eagerly outside a hotel to catch a glimpse of their favorite players. People danced through downtown to Taylor Swift's "I'm feeling 22." A crowd gathered to shoot hoops on orange courts painted onto streets, dusty from the hum of construction all around. It was 9:30 in the morning of the WNBA All-Star Game. Caitlin Clark, larger than life in Indiana, quite literally loomed over the festivities, her image adorning high-rise buildings, posters and merchandise. The Indiana Fever guard didn't play because of an injury, but still captained the team from the sideline and made appearances throughout the weekend. The weekend. Activations galore — a Coach party, Lilly fan center with branded basketballs, Wilson pop-up with Clark selling her signature line and more. Player appearances all over town. National media descending. Three days of fan zones featuring souvenirs, swag, bounce houses, games and watch parties, culminating with fireworks after the Saturday night main event broadcasted by ABC. And, of course, the Stud Budz. Dark clouds rolled through downtown Indianapolis just hours before tipoff, but the weather cleared up in time for the game and it seemed nothing could dampen the spirits of the fans inside Gainbridge Fieldhouse. "Amazing," said Hartley Hensler, 7, who flew in from Las Vegas with her mother, Jessica, for their third WNBA All-Star Game. "And there's a lot of posters on buildings. There's a lot of A'Ja (Wilson). She's even on buses." Who's Hensler's favorite player? 'Jackie Young. See, her name is on the back," she grinned, turning around to show the back of her jersey. More: WNBA fashion, growth on display at The Collective's All-Star party with USA TODAY Studio IX The hype and celebrations of a women's sports league reaching new heights of popularity is happening parallel to contentious negotiations over the Collective Bargaining Agreement. A CBA meeting Thursday did not go well and they took the court Saturday in warm-up shirts that read, "Pay Us What You Owe Us." The players cite the league's impressive growth and trajectory while negotiating for better pay and benefits. And that growth was tangible this weekend. Sally McCracken and Debbie Heinrichs, both of Plainfield, Indiana, and Fever season ticket holders, were at their first WNBA All-Star Game since 2003 in New York City. When asked how this year's event compared, their eye widened and McCracken said, "Oh, so many more people and so much more excitement. It's amazing to see everyone get the attention they deserve. I think Caitlin has driven a lot of that, but it's not like the others weren't deserving. They've deserved it for a long time." WNBA Live, a two-day fan festival at the Indiana Convention Center, is much bigger than the previous three years it's been held. WNBA commissioner Cathy Englebert said there are more than 25 brand activations across 125,000 square feet this year, a more than sixfold increase since 2022, when four brands activated in Chicago for the very first WNBA Live. Among the more than 20,000 fans who attended WNBA Live was Thomas Brown of Indianapolis and his 3-year-old daughter Zora. "I bought my baby a jersey for the first time and some shoes," Brown told USA TODAY Sports during halftime of the All-Star game. "This is her first time coming to a basketball game and I thought it was very important for her to have some role models to look up to when it comes to basketball. She's loving it so far. The atmosphere is great. It's really loud, so we had to put some earphones on her, but other than that, a lot of excitement, a lot of energy from the crowd." An announced crowd of 16,988 showed up for the All-Star Game, packing the arena's three tiers of seats and cheering while lasers, lights and music filled the air. The halftime show featured a GloRilla performance and, at the close of the third quarter, there was an aerialist hanging from the ceiling. Celebrities and big names in the sports world lined the courtside seats, including comedian Leslie Jones, six-time NBA All-Star Pau Gasol and South Carolina women's basketball coach Dawn Staley. But the loudest part of the night came after the game, when the crowd voiced its solidarity with the WNBA players fighting for more equitable pay. "Pay Them! Pay Them!" Chants rose above the voice of Engelbert as she attempted to announce Napheesa Collier MVP after she led her team to a win over Team Clark. "I see a bunch of strong women who aren't going to back down and fight for what we want," Collier said after accepting her award, the crowd's chants changing to cheers. "I couldn't do it without them."
